by NEW YORK (AP) — Freddie Freeman broke a pair of World Series records Tuesday night when he homered again for the Los Angeles Dodgers in Game 4 against the New York Yankees.
The Slugger launched a two-run shot to right field in the first inning for the second straight night, making him the first player to go deep in the first four games of a World Series. The race started with his Dead end Grand Slam in the 10th inning of the first game.
Freeman also became the only player to homer in six consecutive World Series games – his streak dates back to the 2021 championship he won with Atlanta against Houston.
George Springer pitched in five straight Series games for the Astros from 2017 to 2019. He is the only hitter, besides Freeman, to connect in four straight games during a World Series, doing so in games 4-7 in 2017 against the Dodgers before hitting another home run in the 2019 opener against Washington.
The only other players to homer in the first three games of a World Series were Yankees outfielder Hank Bauer (1958) and Giants slugger Barry Bonds (2002).
Freeman’s final drive wasn’t enough that night, as the Yankees avoided a four-game sweep with an 11-4 victory. Los Angeles leads 3-1 in the series and still needs a win for its second championship in five years and the franchise’s eighth overall.
After a one-out double by Mookie Betts, Freeman lined a 2-1 slider from rookie starter Luis Gil onto the short right-field porch at Yankee Stadium for his 14th career postseason home run.
The ball landed in the first few rows of seats, a little to the left of the 314-foot backboard in the corner, and a pumped-up Freeman screamed in excitement toward the Dodgers dugout as he rounded the bases.
His drive came on the 15th pitch of the game and gave Los Angeles a 2-0 lead – like Monday night, when Freeman hit Clarke Schmidt.
This one gave the eight-time All-Star a home run in five straight games in the series.
“Hopefully it’s six,” Freeman said after a 4-2 victory in the third match.
Seemingly healthier after a sprained right ankle slowed him earlier in the postseason, Freeman connected for the first game-ending grand slam in World Series history to win a dramatic Game 1 opener in Los Angeles.
Freeman, the 2020 NL MVP with the Braves, missed three games in this year’s National League playoffs due to ankle soreness. Entering the World Series, he had one RBI and no extra-base hits in the postseason before hitting a triple for the first time in Game 1.
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AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb
